Gurugram, Nov. 5 -- Gurugram's air quality remained in the 'very poor' category for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, with a thick layer of smog blanketing the city in the morning and residents complaining of respiratory discomfort, burning eyes and throat irritation. The city's 24-hour air quality index (AQI) stood at 314, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)'s 4pm bulletin. All four continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) were operational as of 11pm, with Gwal Pahari recording the highest AQI at 376, followed by Teri Gram at 340, both in the 'very poor' category. Vikas Sadan recorded a relatively lower AQI of 267, in the 'poor' category. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies AQI readings of 0-50 as "good", 51-100 as "satisfactory", 101-200 as "moderate", 201-300 as "poor", 301-400 as "very poor" and 401-500 as "severe". The city's air quality had deteriorated to the 'very poor' category on Tuesday, when the average AQI was reported as 305. Smog reduced visibility across residential neighbourhoods and major roads on Wednesday morning. While several residents continued their morning walks, some wearing masks, others said they had stopped stepping outdoors because of worsening air quality. Rekha, a 72-year-old resident of Sector 57, said she had given up her morning walks after experiencing throat irritation and burning eyes. "I have stopped going for morning walks over the past few days because I started experiencing throat irritation and a burning sensation in my eyes. Even opening the windows for a while makes me feel uneasy," she said. Residents with children and elderly family members suffering from respiratory ailments said the deteriorating air quality had become concerning. Garima Goyal, a resident of Sector 70A, said her 10-year-old son, who has asthma, had been experiencing breathing difficulties, requiring nebulisation. "My son is 10 years old and has asthma. I have to nebulise him almost every other day. The air is becoming increasingly toxic. What kind of world are we leaving for our children? There are just empty promises, but no work is being done on the ground," she said. The worsening air quality comes ahead of restrictions on dust-generating construction and demolition activities, which will take effect across Gurugram on Thursday and remain in force until November 20. Deputy commissioner Uttam Singh has also directed government and private offices to restrict physical attendance to 50% during this period, with the remaining employees working from home. The construction restrictions cover major infrastructure projects, although essential projects related to metro services, railways, hospitals, water supply and sanitation, among others, have been exempted. Meanwhile, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has intensified enforcement against construction sites violating dust-control norms....